The people present were clearly the small, core group of power brokers at the very heart of the Liyang Dynasty. The matters they discussed behind closed doors could even decide the Emperor's fate.
The Grand Elder, holding a game piece, retorted irritably, "The Third Elder is just in seclusion, not dead. You want to use his most beloved granddaughter as a bargaining chip? Are you trying to make him break with us completely?"
The middle-aged man was the Grand Elder's son and Empress Su Ying's paternal uncle. He frowned at the words, and after a moment's thought, he realized just how flawed his plan had been.
He hastily corrected his attitude and asked, "Then what should we do?!"
The Grand Elder didn't answer. He placed the game piece on the board, then said, "We can't handle this matter ourselves. But didn't you say it yourself? That girl, Su Ying, is sensible. Tell her about this. She should know what to do."
